Retired Fresno Unified teacher needs kidney. ‘I feel there’s a lot of good I can still do’

A longtime Fresno Unified teacher is in dire need of help.

Her name is Lisa, and she wished not to share her last name out of privacy concerns.

She’s going public, though, to try to find a special person who’s willing and able to donate a kidney.

They don’t have to be the exact blood type — just someone who would donate to Lisa or on Lisa’s behalf to move her up the national kidney transplant waiting list.

“I do have a big family, but we all have some stuff wrong with us medically that’s prevented them from doing it,” said Lisa, who is 60 years old. “It’s just sad. I don’t feel old. I feel there’s a lot of good I can still do.”

Lisa’s struggles to share her situation and ask for help beyond those she’s closest has been an internal fight in itself.

And it’s actually a more common issue than people might realize, with those in need of an organ fighting possible feelings of embarrassment or pridefulness or self worth.

Having an advocate who’s vocal and comfortable talking about the situation can help, according to Fresno resident Vanessa Diaz, who helped her husband receive a kidney donation and transplant from a complete stranger two years ago.

“I can empathize and understand what she’s talking about because my husband felt the same way,” Diaz said. “Luckily, I was able to advocate for him. And the internet and social media worked.”

Lisa’s relatives, meanwhile, have started speaking out on her behalf to help find a willing donor, placing decals on their vehicles to share Lisa’s predicament to any and everyone.

“Teacher Needs Kidney O-Positive 559-977-7508.”

They’ve shared Lisa’s story on social media, too, in hope of a similar outcome as Diaz’s husband.

“It’s hard to open up and talk about it all the time,” Lisa said. “My husband gets on me for being a private person. It’s just hard to ask for help.”

Teaching life

One aspect of Lisa’s life that she is comfortable talking about is her teaching career.

She taught for 23 years, working as a second-grade teacher at Calwa Elementary in southeast Fresno.

“And I’d like to teach six more years if I get another kidney,” Lisa said.

Lisa said she’s always enjoyed connecting with children, helping them learn and grow.

She helped organize Literacy Night and participated each year in the school carnival.

Her bond with her students has been so strong over the years that some who were part of the first class that Lisa taught remain in contact with her.

“I’m still close to a lot of these kids and their parents,” Lisa said. “It’s hard being away. I miss it. I didn’t want to quit working. I loved teaching — everything about it.”

It was teaching that helped fulfill Lisa after she tried a bunch of different odd jobs at a younger age. She graduated from Fresno State with a teaching degree, enrolled in a special program back then that allowed her to work and take classes until it was time for her to become a teacher.

“I had no kind of direction at the time,” Lisa said. “My aunt was a teacher then. She asked me if I could take over her class while she was on maternity leave. That’s when I realized that this was what I wanted to do: This is how I could make a difference.”

Lisa was getting a printer for work when she fainted and later discovered during examinations that she had kidney disease.

Nonetheless, Lisa continued to teach while enduring her declining kidney for the past three years. In February, she decided to retire.

“I was on dialysis and it was getting harder and harder,” Lisa said. “I loved the kids but I just noticed that I didn’t have the stamina for it anymore.

“And I didn’t want to cheat anybody.”

How to donate, save a life

There are a few requirements for people interested in donating a kidney, including that the person must be at least 18 years old.

There also are some medical conditions that could prevent people from being a living donor, including having uncontrolled high blood pressure, diabetes or cancer.

There are two types of living donations: direct and nondirect.

According to the National Kidney Foundation, directed donation is when the donor names a specific person who will receive the kidney. It is the most common type of living donation. Directed donations are often between blood relatives, like parents, siblings, or children. They can also happen between people with close personal relationships, such as a spouse, friend, or coworker.

A non-directed donation is when a person donates anonymously to someone in need. They usually do not have any kind of relationship with the person who gets their donated kidney. Other names for a non-directed donor include an altruistic or “good Samaritan” donor.

That’s how Vanessa Diaz’s husband Timothy Trotter received his kidney.

Three years ago, Trotter was on dialysis and suffered from kidney disease.

Like Lisa, Trotter, too, was private and almost too prideful to ask for help.

But his wife wanted to do what she could to help him.

So she, too, advertised the need for a kidney with a decal sticker displayed on the back of family vehicles.

“Kidney needed,” the message on the decal read with a telephone number also listed. “Type O. Share your spare.”

The decal eventually went viral on social media and local news outlets ended up telling Trotter’s story.

That was in the summer of 2021.

By late January 2022, Trotter received a call that the clinic had received a kidney donor match from an anonymous person who’d heard about Trotter’s story.

Then in April 2022, Trotter underwent a successful kidney transplant thanks to donor Stephanie, who never met Trotter or Diaz prior to being inspired to provide “the gift of life.”

“We were very fortunate to have someone like Stephanie step up,” Diaz said. “Tim is doing well. He’s been back at work now for more than a year. He’s been able to resume life with little impact from the transplant.

“And he’s doing things the doctors were concerned he’d never be able to do again. Like getting in the water and swimming with his kids.

“From our conversations with Stephanie, she hasn’t noticed any decrease in her quality of life,” Diaz said. “Our family is so grateful to her.”

Waiting for a prayer

Lisa said at one point she came across a woman who was willing to donate. But an evaluation later determined the woman was unable to donate.

So Lisa continues to wait and pray.

She doesn’t want to get her hopes up.

So she becomes more and more reserved to tell her story.

Some people who’ve called Lisa and her husband have asked how much are they willing to pay for a kidney.

But it is illegal in the United States and most other countries to get paid for donating a kidney. Insurance does cover costs for the medical procedure, time off from work or cost of childcare, plus meals, parking and gas, and travel expenses.

Lisa said her husband, Terry, helps keep her spirits up, as well as taking care of her.

The couple has been together for 30 years, including 23 years of marriage.

“When something like this happens, you really see who really cares about you,” Lisa said. “My husband, he’s been fantastic.

“Sometimes I don’t bounce back as fast as I could. He is kind and patient.”

Lisa reluctantly shared her story with her church.

That’s led to people asking her regularly how the kidney donor situation is going.

But that’s caused additional anxiety for Lisa, wondering whether people are being sincere in wanting to know updates or just being nosy.

She’d rather keep her business to herself.

But if letting others know will help her keep living, and maybe even teach again, Lisa said she is willing to do what’s uncomfortable.

“My bishop once told me that when you don’t tell people what you’re up against, you’re taking away their chance to help,” Lisa said. “God might tell someone to help you. And you’re being too private.

“So I’d like to say that I’d really like it if someone could help. Thank you.”